Governor of Guanajuato, Mexico visits Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The governor of Guanajuato, Mexico was in Fresno on Friday evening. He was reaching out to the immigrant community and hoping to build economic ties with the Central Valley.

Governor Miguel Marquez-Marquez unveiled the bust of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla at the Fresno elementary school named after the man known as the father of Mexican independence. The governor also donated a bust of Cesar Chavez that will be displayed at the United Farm Workers of America's headquarters.

"Our hope is that when students see this bust, they will understand that my father wasn't too much different from who they are," said Paul Chavez, Cesar Chavez's son.

Immigrants from Guanajuato make up 8 percent of the total population of Mexicans in the Central Valley.